Electro-mechanical latching/locking with integrated touch/push activation

Abstract

An electro-mechanical locking device, particularly for cabinetry, with some embodiments used in connection with a drawer slide.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electro-mechanical locking device for cabinetry, comprising:
 a rotatable latch receiver for receiving a latch striker; 
 a lever arm for maintaining the latch receiver in a locking position; 
 an actuator for driving the lever arm to an unlocking position; 
 a first sensor for detecting an indication of inward movement, relative to the cabinetry, of the latch striker; and 
 a controller configured to command the actuator to drive the lever arm to the unlocking position based on detection by the first sensor of the indication of inward movement of the latch striker. 
 
     
     
       2. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to command the actuator to drive the lever arm to the unlocking position only upon every other occurrence of the first sensor detecting the indication of inward movement of the latch striker. 
     
     
       3. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to command the actuator to drive the lever aim to the unlocking position only if a command has also been received from an external access control device. 
     
     
       4. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 3 , wherein the external access control device is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. 
     
     
       5. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is additionally configured to command the actuator to drive the lever arm to the unlocking position based on a signal indicative of inward movement, relative to the cabinetry, of a second latch striker. 
     
     
       6. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 5 , wherein the second latch striker is associated with a second electro-mechanical locking device for cabinetry. 
     
     
       7. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is additionally configured to command the actuator to activate to allow the lever arm to return to a locking position. 
     
     
       8. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is additionally configured to command the actuator to activate to allow the lever arm to return to a locking position after a change in state of the first sensor. 
     
     
       9. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is normally biased to a locking position by a lever arm spring. 
     
     
       10. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a motor. 
     
     
       11. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor detects a position of the latch receiver. 
     
     
       12. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , further comprising an open-assist mechanism. 
     
     
       13. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 12 , wherein the open-assist mechanism normally biases a slide member of a drawer slide coupled to the electro-mechanical locking device to an open position. 
     
     
       14. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor for detecting a position of the lever arm. 
     
     
       15. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 14 , further comprising a cam coupling a shaft of the actuator and the lever arm, and a third sensor for detecting a position of the cam. 
     
     
       16. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a secure status indicator based on inputs from the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor. 
     
     
       17. The electro-mechanical locking device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to set the secure status indicator to secure upon the first sensor indicating the inward movement of the latch striker and the second sensor indicating the lever arm is in a locking position and the third sensor indicating the cam is in a locking position. 
     
     
       18. A method of operating a lock for a cabinet, the lock including a latch receiver for receiving a latch striker and an actuator for unlocking the latch receiver, and a controller for commanding operation of the actuator, the method comprising:
 receiving a first indication that the latch striker has moved to a position inward in the cabinet; 
 commanding, by the controller, the actuator to provide for unlocking of the latch receiver in response to the first indication. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the lock further includes a lever arm for maintaining the latch receiver in a locking position, with the actuator unlocking the latch receiver by driving the lever arm to an unlocking position. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 after commanding the actuator to provide for unlocking of the latch receiver, receiving an indication that the latch striker has moved to a position other than inward in the cabinet; and 
 after receiving the indication that the latch striker has moved to the position other than inward in the cabinet, commanding, by the controller, the actuator to provide for movement of the lever arm to a locking position. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein commanding, by the controller, the actuator to provide for movement of the lever arm to a locking position comprises commanding the actuator to drive to a position allowing a spring biasing the lever arm to return the lever arm to the locking position. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising commanding, by the controller, the actuator to provide for unlocking of the latch receiver based on receipt of a signal indicating that a latch striker of another lock for the cabinet has moved to a position inward in the cabinet. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the actuator is a motor. 
     
     
       24. A locking system for cabinetry, comprising:
 at least one locking device, each including a receiver for receiving a striker and means for maintaining the receiver in a locked position; and 
 a controller configured to command unlocking of the receiver by the means for maintaining the receiver in the locked position based on an indication that a striker associated with at least one of the at least one of the locking devices has been moved inward into the cabinetry. 
 
     
     
       25. The locking system of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one locking device comprises a plurality of locking devices, and wherein the controller is configured to command unlocking of particular ones of the locking devices based on an indication that a striker associated with one of the particular ones of the locking devices has been moved inward into the cabinetry. 
     
     
       26. The locking system of  claim 25 , wherein the particular ones of the locking devices comprise a pair of locking devices for a drawer of the cabinetry. 
     
     
       27. The locking system of  claim 25 , wherein the controller is configured to command unlocking of particular ones of the locking devices based on an indication that a striker associated with one of the particular ones of the locking devices has been moved inward into the cabinetry for at least more than a fixed duration. 
     
     
       28. The locking system of  claim 27 , wherein the controller is configured to command locking of particular ones of the locking devices after receiving an indication that the striker associated with one of the particular ones of the locking devices is no longer moved inward into the cabinetry. 
     
     
       29. A locking system for cabinetry, comprising:
 a locking device including a receiver for receiving a striker, means for maintaining the receiver in a locked position, and an actuator for actuating the means for maintaining the receiver in the locked position; 
 a first sensor for determining whether the receiver is in a locked position; 
 a second sensor for determining if the means for maintaining the receiver in the locked position is in a locking position; 
 a third sensor for determining an indication of whether the actuator is in a state to allow the means for maintaining the receiver in the locked position to be in a locking position; and 
 a controller configured to command the actuator to allow the means for maintaining the receiver in the locked position to be in an unlocking position and to determine an indication of whether the receiver is securely maintained in the locked position based upon data received from at least one of the first, second, and third sensors. 
 
     
     
       30. The locking system of  claim 29 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the receiver is securely maintained in the locked position when all of the first sensor determines the receiver is in the locked position, the second sensor determines that the means for maintaining the receiver in the locked position is in the locking position, and the third sensor determines that the actuator is in a state to allow the means for maintaining the receiver in the locked position to be in the locking position. 
     
     
       31. The locking system of  claim 30 , wherein the third sensor determines position of a cam coupled to the actuator.